Breaking Through (Book 2 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers) by Reasor Teresa

Author:Reasor, Teresa [Reasor, Teresa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Teresa J. Reasor
Published: 2012-09-05T03:00:00+00:00

***

Tess studied Brett as he chewed. His silence had become conspicuous. In fact, she’d never known him to be anything but cocky and confident. This subdued Brett was unfamiliar, a new side to the man she’d begun to know.

She’d wanted to find a hole and crawl into it when Ian had opened the door. What had Brett thought?

Ian raised his coffee cup and took a sip. “Tess said your mother is here visiting.”

“Yeah. She’s staying with my sister right now.”

“Does she know about all this?”

Brett’s features tightened. “No. And I’m not telling her unless I have to.”

Ian nodded. “No need to worry her until something negative happens.”

With a little food in his stomach, he was showing improvement. And at least he’d given up his drink and switched to coffee. He’d smelled like scotch at nine o’clock this morning. And now—how long had he been drinking like this?

An awkward silence permeated the room broken only by the sound of chewing.

When Ian set aside his plate, Tess said, “I’ll clean up in here. Why don’t you two go out on the balcony and talk?”

“I’d prefer to stay in the room, Tess. Less chance of someone overhearing our conversation,” Brett said. He rose from his seat, stacked his plate with hers and Ian’s, and dumped them in the trash. He reached for one of the cartons and closed it. She rushed to help him. And though she tried to catch his attention, he didn’t look at her.

Ian rose, retrieved something from his bag, and unfolded it. He stretched the map of Iraq out on the table.

Brett studied the map, his expression dispassionate.

“I know you can’t tell me precisely where you were supposed to deliver the boy,” Ian said.

“No.” Brett remained silent for a long moment, a waiting stillness in the way he held himself. “There’s a small market in Al Rashid. We’d stop sometimes and buy oranges. You can see the dome of the Al Rasheed Hotel from there. Have you ever stayed there?”

“Yes. When Baghdad was first invaded.” Ian rubbed his hand on the side of his face.

“Really spectacular architecture. They’ve replaced the mosaic floor of George Bush in the lobby with one of Saddam Hussein.”

“I thought perhaps that might happen,” Ian said, his tone quiet.

“It may have changed again. A hotel group came in and started renovating it for some conference or other while we were still down range.” He drew a deep breath. “We’d drive through the surrounding neighborhoods fourteen, fifteen blocks west of the hotel. Most of the people were friendly, especially the kids.

Ian nodded, his features tight with concentration. “The boy’s name?”

Brett studied his face for a long moment, his jaw pulsing. “Sanjay al-Yussuf.”

“You don’t remember any of this?” Ian asked.

“No.” Brett swiveled toward Tess.

He had remained still for so long that his sudden movement startled her.

“I have to go. Thanks for dinner.”

He looked nothing like the Brett she’d begun to know. The shuttered, controlled look of his features was distant and frightening.

He strode to the door and was through it before she could respond.

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